Strawberry Bazaar store closing after 38 years in Portsmouth

Bickford's restaurant at the Portsmouth traffic circle and KFC on Woodbury Avenue recently announced they will not renew their leases. Now Strawberry Bazaar on Market Street is closing its doors.

"Not that I really want to retire right now," said Dan Kovel, co-owner of the store with his wife, Betsy. However, he said, the timing was right and the sale is a done deal.

But the owners' decision is a sad story for all the store's fans and customers. After almost 38 years in business, Strawberry Bazaar will no longer be a landmark on Market Street.

"It happened very fast,' said Dan Kovel. "We put it on the market and it just sold, quickly — really fast."

Chaise Lounge, currently on Congress Street, will move into the Market Street location as of April 1.

It's the last page in the long history of a fine gallery/store. Both Dan and Betsy Kovel, natives of Connecticut, decided they wanted to open a store a long time ago.

Dan had worked as a manager for the telephone company in Bridgeport, Conn., but never liked the job much. The couple wanted to move someplace more compatible to raise their children.

They first planned to open a store in Newburyport, Mass. What seemed like a disaster at the time turned into a story with a great ending.

"We had sold our house, found a new one and a place for our store," said Betsy. "The kids were in the car and we were set to go."

But, it didn't turn out that way. The sale fell through when the seller had a heart attack.

The Kovels rented a house and, on the advice of a broker, decided that Portsmouth was the place to be. Since they made that choice, they have never looked back.

"Our first store was on State Street in 1971," said Dan. "In 1973 we moved to the Vaughan Mall, and in 1992 we moved to our present location on Market Street."

Both Dan and Betsy said they are sad to be selling their business, but the time seems right.

"We have enjoyed being a part of the Portsmouth transformation from a peaceful small town to a bustling tourist destination," said Dan.

Betsy said their customers in Portsmouth have made work days pleasurable. Both wanted to express their appreciation to patrons in their nearly 38 years in business.

One of the things that makes the couple happy is that they are selling their business to a similar one that is "compatible with the Portsmouth style," as Dan put it.

Chaise Lounge, currently on Congress Street, will move into the Market Street location as of April 1.

The couple also wanted to express their gratitude to their many employees over the years.

"Our long list of employees has been great for us and our customers," said Dan. "They have become our friends and friends to each other.

The couple live in York, Maine, and will be frequent visitors to Portsmouth.

"It was tricky in the beginning," recalled Betsy. "The first few years were a struggle, but we made it."

Early on, they had three stores, with two in Ogunquit, Maine.

Dan said he would leave his home in the morning and then make a decision to go left to Ogunquit or right to Portsmouth.

Strawberry Bazaar is unlikely to be duplicated, and this is a sad reality for the owners, who sold fine wind chimes and model boats and a wide assortment of gift items that were both affordable and unique?

"I think we were successful in part because we sold a little bit of everything," said Betsy.

Dan has many tales to tell of his years in Portsmouth. One is that he had requested the City Council for years to brick the sidewalks on Market Street where his store is located.

Now, after all these years, the city is finally planning to install brick sidewalks in April.

"It figures," said Dan. "We close down at the end of March and then the city will brick the sidewalks!"

Dan and Betsy had no real complaints. The increase in tourism has been great, they said, and the tourists themselves are "wonderful." Many customers have become their friends.

"I think the future of Portsmouth is bigger and brighter than ever," said Dan.

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